The latest events at Apple have me wondering. Apple is no longer the leader it used to be, and now it is a follower. This has not yet impacted Apple's market value or the revenues, but it may in the future.
Under Steve Jobs, Apple was all about innovation. The motto was to "think different". The products were new and fresh, and really innovated in many ways. Apple delivered products nobody had ever seen before, and, in this process, it created new market niches. The products did not always have the best specs in the market, or the most features, but they held on their own because they were different from anything else.
Under Tim Cook, Apple is about making the best. I am yet to count how many times Tim Cook mentioned that Apple's products are the best, in a way I never recalled Steve Jobs doing. But products are not really innovative, and many of them are simply copycats of existing products. The products quite often have some of the best specs in the market. Apple's products now are kind of luxury, and they sport higher price tags to show it.
Let me give examples. After Steve Jobs was back at Apple in 1997, Apple released some very innovative products. The iMac was released in 1998, and it was a colorful all-in-one that innovated in design. The redesign of the iMac in 2002 was also a radical departure. The iPod was released in 2001; it was not the first MP3 player in the market, but it was the first one that created a true platform for listening to music. I don't remember any product similar to the Apple TV when it came out in 2006. The iPhone was of course the breakthrough product we all know. Not the first smartphone, but a very well executed one. In 2008, Apple released the App Store, with apps to be installed in the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Also in 2008, Apple unveiled the breath-taking MacBook Air, which would craft the definition of ultrabook. Multi-touch gestures for the MacBooks were introduced in 2008 as well. In 2010, Apple released the iPad, which redefined the tablet market. In 2010, also came the "retina display" for the iPhone, which would make way into the iPads and Macs.
Now, Apple is a follower, not a leader. All the efforts are towards making the best, and making their products better. But I see very little innovation. Apple no longer defines trends.
The iPhone got a bigger screen, and that happened after all other smartphones in the market had large screens. The iPad got a pen(cil) and a keyboard, contrary to all Steve Jobs beliefs; and in doing that it became a competitor to the Microsoft Surface and other tablets. Apple released a smartwatch, following Samsung and other companies. The HomePod is a speaker that had no reason to exist except that apparently Apple had to compete with Google and Amazon in this particular market segment. And now Apple is in the business of streaming. It released Apple Music to copy Spotify, and will release its own Netflix-like service after nearly every company seems to be doing the same.
In addition to this, Apple is constantly increasing its prices, as if it wants to position itself as a premium, luxury brand. Under Steve Jobs, Apple products were expensive, but still affordable. Steve Jobs knew that the consumer is price-sensitive. Now these times are gone.
Apple adhered to market segmentation as well, and this is consistent with the price policy. Under Steve Jobs, there was just one iPhone. One size, different storage options. The same with the iPad. Steve Jobs wanted to keep it simple and was against the policy of offering a trillion different products at different price points. Now, that is exactly what Apple is doing. We have the iPad and the iPad Pro; and the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.
And yes, there are the new features. Steve Jobs used to reduce features, take them away to give minimalistic products, get to the core of each of them. No unnecessary features. Now, it seems to be the opposite. There is Force Touch, Face ID, Touch Bar, and other features nobody really asked for, and yet they are here.
Somehow, I prefer the old Apple. It just looked more honest and more focused. Now, Apple is doing little to differentiate itself from Microsoft, Google and Amazon. It is just one of the giant tech companies of the Silicon Valley, living on the glories of the past, on its legacy of innovation, and on the premium quality of its products. But there seems to be very little innovation going on.
Under Steve Jobs, Apple was all about innovation. The motto was to "think different". The products were new and fresh, and really innovated in many ways. Apple delivered products nobody had ever seen before, and, in this process, it created new market niches. The products did not always have the best specs in the market, or the most features, but they held on their own because they were different from anything else.
Under Tim Cook, Apple is about making the best. I am yet to count how many times Tim Cook mentioned that Apple's products are the best, in a way I never recalled Steve Jobs doing. But products are not really innovative, and many of them are simply copycats of existing products. The products quite often have some of the best specs in the market. Apple's products now are kind of luxury, and they sport higher price tags to show it.
Let me give examples. After Steve Jobs was back at Apple in 1997, Apple released some very innovative products. The iMac was released in 1998, and it was a colorful all-in-one that innovated in design. The redesign of the iMac in 2002 was also a radical departure. The iPod was released in 2001; it was not the first MP3 player in the market, but it was the first one that created a true platform for listening to music. I don't remember any product similar to the Apple TV when it came out in 2006. The iPhone was of course the breakthrough product we all know. Not the first smartphone, but a very well executed one. In 2008, Apple released the App Store, with apps to be installed in the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Also in 2008, Apple unveiled the breath-taking MacBook Air, which would craft the definition of ultrabook. Multi-touch gestures for the MacBooks were introduced in 2008 as well. In 2010, Apple released the iPad, which redefined the tablet market. In 2010, also came the "retina display" for the iPhone, which would make way into the iPads and Macs.
Now, Apple is a follower, not a leader. All the efforts are towards making the best, and making their products better. But I see very little innovation. Apple no longer defines trends.
The iPhone got a bigger screen, and that happened after all other smartphones in the market had large screens. The iPad got a pen(cil) and a keyboard, contrary to all Steve Jobs beliefs; and in doing that it became a competitor to the Microsoft Surface and other tablets. Apple released a smartwatch, following Samsung and other companies. The HomePod is a speaker that had no reason to exist except that apparently Apple had to compete with Google and Amazon in this particular market segment. And now Apple is in the business of streaming. It released Apple Music to copy Spotify, and will release its own Netflix-like service after nearly every company seems to be doing the same.
In addition to this, Apple is constantly increasing its prices, as if it wants to position itself as a premium, luxury brand. Under Steve Jobs, Apple products were expensive, but still affordable. Steve Jobs knew that the consumer is price-sensitive. Now these times are gone.
Apple adhered to market segmentation as well, and this is consistent with the price policy. Under Steve Jobs, there was just one iPhone. One size, different storage options. The same with the iPad. Steve Jobs wanted to keep it simple and was against the policy of offering a trillion different products at different price points. Now, that is exactly what Apple is doing. We have the iPad and the iPad Pro; and the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.
And yes, there are the new features. Steve Jobs used to reduce features, take them away to give minimalistic products, get to the core of each of them. No unnecessary features. Now, it seems to be the opposite. There is Force Touch, Face ID, Touch Bar, and other features nobody really asked for, and yet they are here.
Somehow, I prefer the old Apple. It just looked more honest and more focused. Now, Apple is doing little to differentiate itself from Microsoft, Google and Amazon. It is just one of the giant tech companies of the Silicon Valley, living on the glories of the past, on its legacy of innovation, and on the premium quality of its products. But there seems to be very little innovation going on.
